Search

Autologous costal cartilage for rhinoplasty is an excellent graft material providing both volume and quality of cartilage required for nasal reconstruction. Commonly, the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th rib costal cartilages have been harvested but other ribs such as the 10th rib are often overlooked and yet offer an excellent graft option for columellar, alar rim, nasal tip, and dorsal augmentation grafts. The use of the 10th rib costal cartilage in patients with complex secondary cleft nasal deformity has scant reference in the literature. We demonstrate our simple and quick 10th rib cartilage harvesting technique and elicit its use in secondary rhinoplasty and cleft lip nasal deformities. The advantages of harvesting the 10th rib cartilage and our long-term results demonstrating ease of harvest, stability, and predicable outcomes are with several clinical cases. The senior author has used the 10th rib graft successfully in a variety of challenging secondary cleft rhinoplasty procedures with excellent and consistent outcomes. We advocate the use of the 10th rib graft in such procedures as it is easy to harvest, is a dynamic cartilage graft, and offers predictable results with low levels of complications.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is a common phenomenon due to its unknown long term side effects. Data regarding the sam is scanty in the Saudi Arabia region hence the purpose of this study was to assess the safety concerns and reasons for vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among dental health professionals in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A total of 138 dental health professionals serving in a Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia were studied using an online-based structured, close-ended, and self-administered questionnaire developed by Paudel et al consisting of three sections: demographics, experiences, and willingness to get the vaccination, and perception of COVID-19, and COVID-19 vaccine safety. It was a cross sectional study where convienence sampling technique was employed. The total perception score was calculated by adding respondents' agreement with a set of eleven items using a Likert-type scale. Non-parametric tests (Mann– Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis) were used for analysis (p

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of difluprednate 0.05% (PRO-145) versus prednisolone acetate 1% (Prednefrin® SF), for management of postoperative inflammation and pain, after cataract surgery.

Facial recognition has attracted the attention of researchers and has been one of the most prominent topics in the fields of image processing and pattern recognition since 1990. This resulted in a very large number of recognition methods and techniques with the aim of increasing the accuracy and robustness of existing systems. Many techniques have been developed to address the challenges and reliable recognition systems have been reached but require considerable processing time, suffer from high memory consumption and are relatively complex. The focus of this paper is on extracting subset of descriptors (less correlated and less calculations) from the co-occurrence matrix with the goal of enhancing the performance of Haralick’s descriptors. Improvements are achieved by adding the image pre-processing and selecting the proper method according to the database problem and by extracting features from image local regions.

The development of stem cells services has grown rapidly throughout the world since 2004, as well as in Indonesia. This is because stem cells have unique properties that can differentiate into various cells types, making it promising to repair tissue damaged by various diseases, especially degenerative conditions. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview of the regulation of stem cells services so that it can be carried out to the public after the enactment of the Health Law Number 36 of 2009 and to obtain an overview of the implementation of the law in stem cells regulation that is not yet comprehensive. The research methodology used is juridical normative, with a statutory approach, a conceptual approach. Also by using a comparative approach with other countries. This study analyzes substantially the regulation of stem cells and/or cells services based on Minister of Health Regulation number 32 of 2018 concerning stem cells and/or cells services and the implementation of laws against violations in their implementation. The regulations that are not yet comprehensive have in the competence of doctors who carry out stem cells services both as standardized therapy and service-based research that has not been certified, as well as the implementation of the law to use laws and regulations that are generally used for cases of non-specific illegal acts that result in prosecution. which is multi-layered. So that it is necessary to regulate stem cells according to the hierarchy of legislation and need to revise Minister of Health Regulation number 32 of 2018 so that it can be implemented safely and effectively and accommodate the orientation of technology development in the stem cells sector in Indonesia.

Claudia Palacio-Pastrana,1 Eduardo Chávez-Mondragón,2 Abraham Soto-Gómez,3 Rubén Suárez-Velasco,4 Miguel Montes-Salcedo,5 Lourdes Fernández de Ortega,6 Linda Nasser-Nasser,7 Leopoldo Baiza-Durán,8 Oscar Olvera-Montaño,8 Patricia Muñoz-Villegas8 1Fundación Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Luz, IAP, CDMX, Mexico; 2Fundación de Asistencia Privada Conde de Valenciana, IAP, CDMX, Mexico; 3Catarata y Glaucoma de Occidente SA de CV, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 4Private Office, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 5Aris Vision Institute, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 6Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, IAP, CDMX, Mexico; 7Visión Cirugía Ambulatoria, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; 8Medical Affairs, Laboratorios Sophia, SA de CV, Zapopan, Jalisco, MexicoCorrespondence: Patricia Muñoz-Villegas Tel +52 3001 4200 ext 1018Email patricia.munoz@sophia.com.mxBackground: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of difluprednate 0.05% (PRO-145) versus prednisolone acetate 1% (Prednefrin® SF), for management of postoperative inflammation and pain, after cataract surgery.Methods: This was a Phase III, multicenter, prospective, double-blind, clinical trial. Intent-to-treat population included 178 post-phacoemulsification patients that were assigned to receive either PRO-145, or prednisolone. One day after unilateral eye surgery, patients instilled a drop 4 times a day for 14 days (then tapering the dose downward for 14 days). The primary efficacy endpoints were anterior chamber (AC) cell grade and flare. Other parameters measured included: retinal central thickness (measured via OCT), conjunctival hyperemia, edema, pain and photophobia. Tolerability and safety were assessed through burning, itching, foreign body sensation, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and incidence of adverse events (AE).Results: A total of 171 subjects were randomized (1:1) and completed the study. Compared to day 1, there was a significant improvement in the AC cell count and flare in both groups by the final visit (80.2% vs 88.4%, p=1.000). Conjunctival hyperemia improved in a similar fashion (81.2% vs 79%, p=0.234) in both PRO-145 and prednisolone groups, without differences between them. This was also observed for edema (82.4% vs 82.5%, p=0.246), pain (15.3% vs 7%, p=0.497) and photophobia (16.4% vs 15.1%, p=0.246), respectively. There was no significant difference between treatments for any tolerability parameter studied. Finally, at the 4-week postoperative visit, there were no significant differences between treatments for VA, IOP and AE results (p-values; 0.095, 0.053 and 0.099, respectively).Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that PRO-145 is as effective and safe as prednisolone acetate in treating postoperative inflammation and pain in patients undergoing phacoemulsification. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03693989.Keywords: difluprednate, dose-reduction, cataract surgery, ophthalmic corticosteroids

Background The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of difluprednate 0.05% (PRO-145) versus prednisolone acetate 1% (Prednefrin® SF), for management of postoperative inflammation and pain, after cataract surgery. Methods This was a Phase III, multicenter, prospective, double-blind, clinical trial. Intent-to-treat population included 178 post-phacoemulsification patients that were assigned to receive either PRO-145, or prednisolone. One day after unilateral eye surgery, patients instilled a drop 4 times a day for 14 days (then tapering the dose downward for 14 days). The primary efficacy endpoints were anterior chamber (AC) cell grade and flare. Other parameters measured included: retinal central thickness (measured via OCT), conjunctival hyperemia, edema, pain and photophobia. Tolerability and safety were assessed through burning, itching, foreign body sensation, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and incidence of adverse events (AE). Results A total of 171 subjects were randomized (1:1) and completed the study. Compared to day 1, there was a significant improvement in the AC cell count and flare in both groups by the final visit (80.2% vs 88.4%, p=1.000). Conjunctival hyperemia improved in a similar fashion (81.2% vs 79%, p=0.234) in both PRO-145 and prednisolone groups, without differences between them. This was also observed for edema (82.4% vs 82.5%, p=0.246), pain (15.3% vs 7%, p=0.497) and photophobia (16.4% vs 15.1%, p=0.246), respectively. There was no significant difference between treatments for any tolerability parameter studied. Finally, at the 4-week postoperative visit, there were no significant differences between treatments for VA, IOP and AE results (p-values; 0.095, 0.053 and 0.099, respectively). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that PRO-145 is as effective and safe as prednisolone acetate in treating postoperative inflammation and pain in patients undergoing phacoemulsification. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03693989.

Mohammad Z Haider,1 Amna Al-Mannai,1 Sally Al-Sirhan,1 Ahmed Elsabagh,1 Nasser Nasser,1 Noora Al-Quraishi,1 Amr Ouda,1 Khadija Erradi,1 Anas A Ashour,2 Ishita Gupta,1,3 Jazeel Abdulmajeed,4 Hamad E Al-Romaihi,4 Devendra Bansal,4 Omran AH Musa,4 Elmoubasher Abu Baker Abd Farag,4 Mohammed HJ Al-Thani,4 Ala-Eddin Al Moustafa1,3,5 1College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 3Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Unit, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 4Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar; 5Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Ala-Eddin Al Moustafa, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar, Tel +974 4403 7817, Fax +974 4403-3333, Email aalmoustafa@qu.edu.qaPurpose: Predisposition to acute illness from COVID-19 is suggested to correlate with cigarette smoking as it augments the risk of developing cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, including infections. However, the effects of smoking on COVID-19 symptoms are not well described and controversial. In this study, we aim to explore the associations between smoking and COVID-19 symptoms.Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study using the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Qatar database was administered to a Qatari population with confirmed COVID-19 disease who filled in pre-defined phone-call questionnaire between 27th February 2020 and 31st December 2020. We analyzed 11,701 non-vaccinated COVID-19 individuals (2952 smokers and 8749 non-smokers) with confirmed RT-PCR test results. The association of smoking and the presence of symptoms as well as patient characteristics was calculated using Pearson’s Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, adjusting for potential covariates.Results: Compared with the non-smokers, symptomatic COVID-19 infection is significantly higher in smokers. In addition, we found fever as the most common symptom developed in COVID-19 patients followed by cough, headache, muscle ache, and sore throat. As compared to other symptoms, association of smoking with chills and abdominal pain was less evident (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, both groups showed similar rates of developing cough.Conclusion: In conclusion, smoking is associated with COVID-19 symptoms frequency in non-vaccinated patients; nevertheless, further investigations are necessary to understand the mechanism of this association which could generate new targets for the management of COVID-19 in smoker patients.Keywords: COVID-19, smoking, frequency, Qatar, symptoms

This thesis examines whether the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) plays a role in improving financial reporting quality, in the shape of earnings quality, in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This thesis also investigates the relationship between political connections, family firms and earnings quality in the same context. The vast majority of countries that have adopted the IFRS are emerging economies with weak institutional environments and weak accounting infrastructure, and critics have questioned the efficacy of IFRS adoption for improving financial reporting quality in these economies. It has been argued that change in the quality of financial reporting in a given context is a function of the presence of significant factors (e.g., socio-political and enforcement mechanisms) other than accounting standards. Motivated by this, this thesis descriptively explores the current state of IFRS implementation in the GCC region. Also, the thesis investigates quantitatively the association between the length of the IFRS experience (i.e., time since implementation) and earnings quality. Additionally, the GCC region has very distinctive cultural aspects that have evolved over time (e.g., high degree of uncertainty avoidance, large power distance and secrecy). The uniqueness of the region���s corporate environment stems particularly from the fact that businesses are predominantly controlled by families, and many businesses have overt political connections with ruling families. Empirically, prior evidence has shown that family-owned firms are characterised by higher earnings quality than non-family firms. Conversely, politically connected firms are characterised by lower earnings quality than non-connected firms. Given the significance of these two distinctive features in businesses in the GCC region, this thesis exploits this unique institutional setting and investigates how the relationship between family-owned firms and earnings quality is moderated by the presence of firm-level political connections. The relationship between IFRS adoption, political connections, family ownership and earnings quality is examined using a cross-country sample of 222 listed firms from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the period 2012���2017. Level of IFRS compliance is measured by employing a self-constructed disclosure index using 24 applicable standards (seven IFRS and 17 International Accounting Standards [IAS]) with 219 disclosure items. The length of IFRS experience is measured by subtracting the adoption date from the end of each calendar year in the sample. Earnings quality is measured via two properties of earnings: persistence and accruals quality. Persistence is measured using two alternative proxies (earnings per share and return on assets) and accruals quality is measured using Dechow and Dichev���s (2002) model of accruals. The descriptive results provide evidence that the average level of compliance for the full sample over the sample period is 34.25%, suggesting that the level of overall compliance is low. This overall low level of compliance among sample countries can be attributed to the weak institutional environments of these countries (i.e., weak governance mechanisms, low financial reporting transparency and weak enforcement laws). Also, as a unique core cultural dimension in GCC countries��� societies, the propensity of secrecy can play a key role in lowering the level of compliance and disclosure practices, as it overrides IFRS/IAS requirements. Multivariate regression estimates based on two-way cluster-robust standard errors and random effects suggest that earnings persistence is decreasing in IFRS experience and discretionary accruals are increasing in IFRS experience in the GCC region over the period 2012-2017. The findings clearly show that reported earnings quality has declined following IFRS adoption in the GCC region over time. This is consistent with the critique that mere adoption of higher quality accounting standards does not improve financial reporting quality unless institutional weaknesses and managerial incentive problems are addressed. In addition, panel data estimations based on random effects suggest that family-owned firms exhibit higher earnings persistence (earnings per share) compared to non-family firms. Also, the two-way cluster-robust standard errors and random effects estimations provide evidence that family-owned firms exhibit higher accruals quality than non-family firms. Further, panel data estimations based on two-way cluster-robust standard errors and random effects suggest that politically connected firms exhibit higher earnings persistence and higher accruals quality than non-connected firms. However, the earnings quality of politically connected, family-owned firms is not significantly different from that of politically unconnected, family-owned firms in all models. Thus, the presence of board members that are politically connected with ruling families in the GCC region does not weaken the influence of family ownership on earnings quality. This thesis contributes to the literature in several ways. First, the GCC region is increasingly important in the global economy. Moreover, the literature on IFRS adoption, political connections, family firms and earnings quality in the Middle East is in its infancy. This thesis extends the literature on these topics by documenting recent evidence from the GCC region. Second, prior studies on IFRS adoption documented that IFRS adoption in the GCC region is de jure but not de facto. This thesis���s results provide new evidence that earnings quality has declined in IFRS experience in the GCC region. Third, this thesis contributes to the literature by exploiting the unique institutional setting of the GCC region, where political ties with ruling families are a precondition to business success and family ownership has emerged as the dominant form of business ownership. This setting allows us to examine how earnings quality is shaped in the simultaneous presence of family ownership and corporate���political connections. Finally, the results can be used as a reference by policymakers and governmental officials in other emerging economies that are in the process of implementing the IFRS. The regulatory bodies in these countries are subject to the danger that, unless there is a general awareness within the government and business communities regarding the role of enforcement mechanisms and other socio-political factors, IFRS implementation will be partial, particularly if managers have no motives or incentives to follow these standards.

One of the diasporic writers, who carry exceptionally genuine Indian feelings abroad, is Jhumpa Lahiri. Lahiri’s first book, a collection of nine stories, Interpreter of Maladies, was published in 1999. Her writings are described as “diaspora fiction” by many Indian scholars and was named “immigrant fiction” by American critics. Thus, it can be said that Lahiri’s fiction is a unique addition to the existing Asian-American Literature. This study examines the sense of home in Lahiri’s fiction from different perspectives in relation to human relationships and to the sense of place. A focus on the varigated meanings of “home” enables us to examine questions which are concerned with the human, social and personal costs of displacement and dispossession. Thus, this paper attempts to highlight important issues relevant to the human relationship with home, and to examine the ways in which the idea of home is present or absent in the stories analyzed. It poses several questions: What is the difference between the literal and the metaphorical sense of home? How does making a physical surrounding “home-like” help immigrants? And how can an immigrant turn a house into a home? These questions will be examined through an analysis of Lahiri’s “When Mr. Pirzada came to Dine”, and “Mrs. Sen’s”. In conclusion, the paper aims to assess whether Jhumpa Lahiri succeeded in conceptualizing the sense of home in diverse ways and to what extent she managed to allow her readers to understand psychological and physical senses of home in relation to everyday life.

INTRODUCCION. El objetivo del presente estudio de investigación era mostrar los resultados del tratamiento con implantes dentales insertados mediante la técnica de elevación transcrestal M.I.S.E en el maxilar superior. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS. 91 pacientes con pérdidas dentales maxilares fueron tratados con 107 implantes de distinto tipo de tratamiento de superficie y conexión interna y externa con el fin de demostrar la efectividad de la rehabilitación del maxilar superior posterior. Los implantes fueron cargados después de un periodo de cicatrización de 6 meses. RESULTADOS. Los hallazgos clínicos indican una supervivencia y éxito de los implantes del 97,2%. En el 97,8% de los casos se empleo biomaterial, con una altura residual media de 6,28mm, obteniendo una ganancia ósea de 4,60mm en un periodo medio de seguimiento de 48,1 meses; en los que la perdida marginal media fue de 0,76mm y fracasaron solo 3 implantes. Los pacientes fueron rehabilitados con prótesis cementedas (36,3%) y atornilladas (63,7%); con restauraciones unitarias (48,4%), puentes fijos (48,4%) y sobredentaduras (3,2%). CONCLUSIONES. Este estudio indica que el tratamiento con implantes dentales mediante su inserción con la técnica de elevación transalveolar M.I.S.E constituye una terapéutica implantológica con éxito.